The Railway Arms, 6 Station Street, Kibworth Beauchamp

The Railway Arms

© The Bitterman and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence

The Railway Arms Inn, also known as The Railway and the Railway Tavern was built in 1845 shortly before the Midland Railway Company obtained powers to build a line from Wigston to Market Harborough via Kibworth. The Inn’s location at 6 Station Street was close to the Kibworth Railway Station. (see Kibworth Railway Station-Modern)

At the Market Harborough Petty Sessions on 3^rd January 1846 the first licence for the Railway Tavern was granted to William Hall, butcher and licensee, of Kibworth Beauchamp. The Police Superintendent was not too happy with Mr. Hall and the Paynes Leicester Advertiser for The Midlands & Adjoining Counties report of the Court proceedings said;

‘During the Court proceedings the Superintendent complained that Hall had allowed gambling and drunkenness to a late hour annoying neighbours. When the Magistrates granted the licence, they cautioned Hall warning that if he continued to allow such practice the licence would not be renewed’.’

Paynes Leicester Advertiser for The Midlands & Adjoining Counties later reported:

‘On 4^th November 1848 William Hall held a sale at the Railway Tavern of his furniture, brewing vessels and barrels before leaving the Inn’.

The Railway Inn 1903 - photograph by John Elcock

Behind the Inn was a large yard with stabling for 12 horses, pigsties and a blacksmith's shop. The original buildings were demolished along with an adjoining cottage in 1926 and replaced by the present building. A further extension was added in the 1960s.

The pub is situated within the Kibworth Beauchamp Conservation Area of the Harborough District, however it is not listed.

The Railway Inn was a former Ansell’s House and some years ago the individual rooms were altered to form one large room which consisted of a games area with a pool table and dart board, a central public bar area and a lounge bar area. There was a wall picture of railway themes and scenes of bygone Kibworth. The Inn also had a skittles long alley which doubles as a function room. The skittles alley was removed in 2020 and the area is now incorporated into a large walled beer garden at the rear.

Star Pubs and Bars (the pub business of Heineken) took over ownership of The Railway Inn in the spring of 2019 and closed the pub on 5^th January 2020 for a £200,000 refurbishment project. The Inn reopened on the 22^nd February 2020. The covid-19 pandemic meant the pub had very limited opening until mid May 2021.

Acknowledgements

Kibworth and Smeeton Inn and Innkeepers1753 – 1968 by Philip Porter
Leicestershire Live